Lethal Game (GhostWalkers 16)

He shifted his weight slightly in the chair so that his much larger body protected Amaryllis from being easily seen by Detective Brady.

“They didn’t seem upset. Anna was laughing at something Bryon said. She usually was. She found him hilarious. All of us did. He was very popular with all the guests.”

“Was she? Was Anna popular with all the guests?” Duncan persisted.

“Anna was much more reserved, and Bryon seemed protective of her. They were having a conversation about a bikini she’d purchased at one of the local shops. Bryon loved the bikini and wanted her to wear it on the beach tomorrow. She said no, it was for private swimming pools. He kept leering at her and chasing her around the hall. She was laughing so hard.” Amaryllis looked up to meet the detective’s eyes. “Did something really happen to her? To them? They were really nice.”

Malichai swept his arm around her and pulled her beneath the shelter of his shoulder. Tears swam in her eyes and her lips trembled. She looked like she was about to plead with Duncan to save Anna and Bryon. “Baby,” he whispered softly, knowing what was coming.

“I’m sorry, yes. Their bodies were found on the beach. It looks as if it was a murder-suicide. He killed her and then shot himself.”

Amaryllis went rigid and then shook her head. “Absolutely not. No way did Bryon kill Anna. He absolutely would never do that.”

“I agree,” Marie said staunchly. “They were so in love and Bryon doted on Anna. He would no more kill her than I’d kill Jacy. That’s not right.”

“You only knew them for a week,” Duncan pointed out. “He could have hidden a dark side from you. Maybe she looked at some man wrong and he was very jealous.”

“He wanted her to wear a tiny bikini on the beach,” Amaryllis contradicted him. “That’s not jealousy. He was very confident in the way Anna felt about him. I’m telling you, he would never kill Anna.”

The two detectives exchanged a look. Malichai was almost certain neither believed the murder-suicide theory. Someone had murdered the couple and then tried to make it look like a murder-suicide. Easy enough when the couple were tourists, and no one really knew their personalities or what went on in their private business.

“What else do you know about tonight, Ms. Johnson?” Duncan asked. “Did Anna or Bryon say anything to you personally?”

Amaryllis sighed, exasperated that Duncan didn’t appear to be listening to her evaluation of Anna and Bryon. “Anna was laughing over the swimsuit and she asked me if I wore a bikini to the beach. She said she didn’t wear revealing clothes very often, but since they were on vacation, she was going to surprise Bryon and wear it. She had a cover-up.”

She paused and when Malichai looked down at her, her eyes were swimming with tears, transforming them into twin jewels. Everything protective in him welled up so strong, he almost pulled her into his lap. He wanted to catch her up in his arms and carry her out of the room.

“She planned to wear it tomorrow for him.” Her voice hitched and she pressed trembling fingers to her lips.

“I’d like to see their room,” Detective Brady said to Marie. “Perhaps you would show me while Detective Duncan interviews Ms. Johnson.”

“Of course,” Marie said, standing.

Amaryllis gripped Malichai’s wrist and burrowed closer to his side. He knew she wasn’t aware she’d done so. “I hate this. I hate this so much. They were sweet, both of them. Marie’s business is finally paying off just when she needs it to. People will shy away once they hear about this. She’s wonderful and deserving. I think Anna was as well.”

“What about Bryon?” Duncan persisted.

Amaryllis frowned. Malichai took her hand and pressed her palm deep into the muscle of his thigh, his thumb sliding back and forth across the top, on her bare skin. Her fingers trembled against his warmth, and he pushed her palm deeper to assure her he wasn’t going to allow anything to happen to her.

“I didn’t know him as well, although, like I said, he was hilarious. He often went running in the mornings and Anna would come into the dining room. I always sit at a little table after the guests have eaten. Malichai sits with me and we eat our breakfast. Anna would come in, sometimes Marie and Jacy, and we’d just talk about things together.”

“What kinds of things?” Duncan persisted.

“Her job. She and Bryon owned a very successful but small business, a small press. They did ads, brochures, little booklets, anything people wanted printed. They also did T-shirts and trophies. That sort of thing. She loved the people that came in, and so did Bryon. She talked mainly about him, how good he was with people, how charming he could be. She said she loved him so much because he never failed to help people.”